1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an anaerobic germiculture receptacle which enables anaerobic germs to be readily cultured.
2. Discussion of the Background
In general dental diseases have many kinds,some of which are caused by contagious germs. For example the periodontal disease is known. The first thing is, therefore, to identify or ascertain in diagnosis whether or not anaerobic germs are present. In order to identify anaerobic germs they must be cultivated. For this purpose a variety of vessels or receptacles have been proposed. They are commonly devised so as to produce deoxygenated atmosphere. To cultivate anaerobic germs they are taken from the patient's mouth, and planted on a plate. Then the germ-coated plate is sealed, and placed in the anaerobic atmosphere for a long period of time. Anaerobic germiculture receptacles are used for cultivating anaerobic germs, and there are many kinds available in the market.
A typical example is made up of a bag made of a resilient sheet, a culture bed, a deoxidizer, and a CO.sub.2 generating agent. The bag inflates with the CO.sub.2 gas generating from the agent, and the oxygen is removed so as to produce an anaerobic atmosphere. In this example a great amount of air enters the receptacle when the culture bed is placed therein, which requiring a great deal of deoxidizer. In addition since the bag is flat, it is difficult to secure the culture bed in its even state. To provide the even bed a high degree of skill is required. The CO.sub.2 generating agent consists of a solid substance and a liquid substance, which are mixed together when CO.sub.2 gas is to be generated. The solid substance and the liquid substance are packed separately in the package, which requires a complicated packaging process. This reflects in the package cost. In such packages it is necessary for the two substances to become mixed by a simple operation. To achieve this purpose the package must be accordingly devised. Furthermore, it is necessary to prevent the mixed substances from leaking outside. After all the receptacle unavoidably becomes complicated in structure and expensive in price.
There is another type of anaerobic germiculture receptacle known in the art, which is provided with a gas inlet and a gas outlet. After the germ-coated plate is placed in the receptacle it is airtightly closed with the lid, and supplied with CO.sub.2 gas introduced through the inlet so as to replace the inside air therewith. This type of receptacle requires a gas cylinder and other ancillary devices. In addition, the size of receptacle becomes large. Another disadvantage is that the anaerobic atmosphere cannot always prevail itself in the receptacle, thereby failing to discover anaerobic germs. This leads to an erroneous diagnosis and a wrong medical treatment.